Sign in

Similar Forum Topics

Here's a tip I have posted before, but it's worth repeating.
One job that goes unnoticed most of the year is the job of the part's driver. You get part deliveries all day long, every day, all year long. Many times, these part's drivers take all the abuse due to wrong parts, the parts took too long to be delivered, on and on and on. Those drivers may not say anything, but they take it to heart.
So, here's what you are going to do. Buy small gifts, such as small boxes of candy or chocolate. Nothing expensive. During the holidays, give all the drivers one of these small gifts and say "Thank you, I appreciated what you do."
Two things will happen. First, the driver will be stunned and will not know what to say, and they will be very thankful that you thought of them.
The second thing that will happen is this: The very next time those part drivers have three delivers to make at three different shops, what shop do you think they will want to go to first? Yes...Yours!

It seems that Goodyear corporate stores are changing their business model from Tire and Repair Service centers to strictly tires. The franchise stores are free to continue their old business model. Around here, the corporate stores are going to close down on January 27 for 2-3 weeks for a major remodel and possibly? rebranding. They will sell tires and do alignments, but will not be able to align if they need repair parts. I've not seen any official statements on this, so I don't really know more than the scuttlebutt.
It looks like Hunter will have a great year this year as a result. I saw a brand new Hunter Revolution tire machine in one of the local stores already.
I stand to benefit from this change as we may see some of their repair business. Since I don't sell tires, I'm not a Goodyear competitor, which allows them to safely refer repair business to us. Almost everyone else around here sells tires. We refer quite a few folks to tire-only stores, so Goodyear will now be on my referral list.

Hey All,
My name is Karla, I had previously owned a 3-bay mechanical repair shop in Burlington, VT for 6 years and built it to maintain an outstanding reputation and provide a comfortable income. I had the opportunity to sell my half of the business and finalized that deal this past fall. I have worked in all areas of the auto repair industry over the past 15 years, graduated from a two-year ASE certified auto tech program and went on to earn my Bachelor’s in business and a masters degree in executive leadership.
I have some capital I will be contributing to the planning and opening of a new shop and am very open to meeting potential partners/investors in all areas of the country. I greatly look forward to building something new in a location new to me.
Anyway, I’d like to welcome all /any interest and to answer any questions about joining forces in shop planning and management. Please do not hesitate to contact me, thanks for considering!
—Karla

Hello Everyone! Hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving as much as I did. I wanted to bring this topic up because of PEP BOYS recent "expansion" into launching their "mobile" service. I was interested in your thoughts. Are mobile mechanics a threat to your shop in any way? What are your thoughts? Do they/can they provide the service that today's cars need?

Or, on the other hand, do you operate as a mobile tech? What are the struggles you face. From what I am hearing, people "seem" to expect mobile to be cheaper.

Only trying to start a discussion about this - and really because, from what I am seeing, there's a lot of buzz around the Pep Boys effort.
Comments? Really interested to know your thoughts.
Matthew Lee
"The Car Count Fixer"
PS: Join me on YouTube and check out this totally FREE on-line course I'm offers- "How to Double your Car Count in 89 Days!"

Elite Pro Service is a peer group made up of 90 of the most successful shop owners in North America, and is always full, but as of 11/14 we have a couple of rare openings! "Rare" isn't an exaggeration, as well over half of the 90 shop owners in this peer group have been members since Pro Service was started over 10 years ago.
In a world where information is everywhere, it is the quality of the information you have access to that will separate you from the competition, and at Elite we feel there's no equal to the quality of real-time data and best practices that come directly from 90 of the industry's top shop owners.
Pro Service is more than a “20 Group” process; it is a community. Not only do our Colleagues believe that 90 minds are better than the standard 10-20 that are most groups, but just about every colleague will tell you that Pro Service has connected them with lifelong friends. There have been several occasions where a Colleague was in trouble with their business, and other Colleagues would “jump on a plane” to help them in any way they could.
Pro Service is a caring culture. It’s not only about increasing profits, but about becoming better leaders who create better lives for their employees, take better care of their customers, and make more meaningful impacts on their communities. It’s about achieving personal and business success, but also about elevating our great industry and every life it touches. It is worth your time to visit the Pro Service web page to learn more.
Pro Service Benefits
90 successful, business savvy shop owners working with you to improve your shop’s performance
One-on-one coaching from a nationally recognized business coach with over 20 years of coaching experience and over 40 years spent in the Automotive industry
Comprehensive host shop meetings performed twice a year, including onsite shop visits, collaboration and training to provide immediate solutions to current issues
Yearly Pro Service Conference with training from outside the industry addressing leadership, marketing, recruiting, employee retention, succession planning and more!
Monthly online meetings to keep you tuned up
Information-rich financial Dashboard with charting, trending and analytics to benchmark performance
Extensive library of information resources developed for owners, service advisors, managers and technical staff
Support 24/7
To learn more or to find out if you qualify, visit the Elite Pro Service web page: https://www.eliteworldwide.com/20-group.html